The next instalment of the Hong Kong Open has been put on hold after authorities decided to postpone the tournament due to mass protests taking place in the region.
Hong Kong has been rocked by unrest in recent weeks with many protesting against a controversial extradition bill that was put forward. Where residents of Hong Kong could be tried for their crimes in mainland China. The area has been a Special Administrative Region of China since 1997 after sovereignty was transferred from Britain. The bill has since been scrapped, however, protests for greater democratic reform are ongoing.
“As the winner of the WTA International event of the year award in 2018, we strive to maintain a high standard of the event for all participants, players and the fans in particular. However, after extensive discussions with our key stakeholders, we conclude that a smooth running of the tournament can be better assured at a later time.” A statement reads.
“The event organisers and WTA are in active discussion on identifying an alternate week for the hosting of the event. Further announcements will be made in due course.”
The tournament is currently held in Victoria Park, which was named after Queen Victoria. The park has become one of the rallying points where anti-government protesters gather. Other sports events and concerns have also been affected by the unrest in recent times. Both the Hong Kong ASTC Sprint Triathlon Asian Cup and the Asian Aquathlon Championships were cancelled over safety concerns.
It is unclear as to when the Hong Kong Open will be moved to or if it will take place at all in 2019. Discussions are currently ongoing with the WTA. Originally it was set to get underway on October 7th. Jelena Jankovic, Caroline Wozniacki and Dayana Yastremska are former champions of the event. It has been a regular fixture on the calendar since 2014.
Last year, more than 70,000 people attended the weeklong tournament, according to tournament figures.
Two WTA events will still take place during the week commencing October 7th. They will be in Linz, Austria and Tianjin, China.
